Beech 65-A90-1 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, January 16, 2026
On January 16, 2026 at about 11:58 pm local time, a 1970 Beech 65-A90-1, registered N918MR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to attain proper flare during landing resulting in a hard landing short of the runway threshold. Contributing to the accident were gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 2026 · about 11:58 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 65-A90-1, built 1970 · all 65-A90-1s on the register
- Registration
- N918MR · registry record · serial LM-138
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot maneuvered the airplane onto the final approach leg of the traffic pattern; he reduced the power to slow the airplane and encountered a significant downdraft or windshear. The airplane impacted the ground about 150 feet short of the runway threshold. The nose and left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing contacted a snow berm which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and lower fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Windshear or thunderstorm during landing
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,777 hours in all; 689 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,226 as pilot in command; 1,488 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 3, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,340 hours in all; 1,050 in this make and model; 143 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 6,500 as pilot in command; 4,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 7, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,750.2 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 26, 2025; 32.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,545 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28 (turboprop); 14,875 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28 (turboprop); 14,757 hours total
- Operator: Missionary Aviation Repair Center
The flight
- Departed from: PASX Soldotna AK at 11:30 pm
- Runway 16, 2,640 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 19 knots, gusting 34
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from PAMR
Weather report (METAR): METAR PAMR 162253Z 18019G34KT 10SM FEW023 FEW050 02/M02 A2998 RMK AO2 PK WND 20041/2159 SLP152 P0019 T00171022
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Image of left side of accident airplane
Photograph 2 – Image of accident airplane from behindThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 25, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N918MR on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft 65 201 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28 25 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28 25 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Merrill Field · nearest airport
- Soldotna Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,930 since 1982 · 824 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,145 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC26LA010.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.